Zippered garment



Oct. 18, 1966 H. 'r. CROONBORG ZIPPERED GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 1, 1964 INVENTOR 7 Harold T. Croonborg B aw w ATTORNEY Oct. 18,1966 H. T. cRooNBoRG' ZIPPERED GARMENT Filed Sept. 1, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

INVENTOR Harold T. Croonborg BY W ATT RNEY United States Patent3,278,945 ZIPPERED GARMENT Harold T. Croonborg, Teaneck, NJ., assignorto Brew Schneider Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled Sept. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 393,548 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-234) Thisinvention relates to an improved garment having a zippered opening andmore particularly to improved work trousers and method for making thesame.

It is a common practice among many businesses to rent work trousers fortheir employees from commercial laundries and linen supply houses.Heretofore, such laundries have avoided buying trousers with zippers forclosing the fly because of the difiiculty in replacing zippers when theybecame broken. As a consequence commercial laundries and linen supplyhouses rented work trousers with buttons in the fly, because broken ormissing buttons were easier to replace than broken zippers.

Dress trousers and work trousers which are made with zipper flys todayhave waistbands which extend around the top of the trousers. When suchtrousers are sewn the stitching extends across along the top waistbandand lining and passes through the zipper. Zipper flys constructed inthis manner do not lend themselves to an easy replacement of the zipperwhen they become broken.

An object of the present invention is to provide Work trousers ofimproved construction having fly zippers which may be quickly and easilyreplaced if defective or broken.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method formaking work trousers which will facilitate replacing a defective zipper.

Another object of this invention is to provide a work trouser havingbutton hole openings at the top of the fly to receive the top ends of azipper tape.

Another feature of this invention is to make a fly having fly bandswhich extend to the top of the trousers, wherein button holes areprovided inside at the top of the fly bands for receiving the upper endsof the zipper tape.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as thedescription of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustratethe invention progresses.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should behad to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a partially opened zipper fly showingmy improved fly construction and zipper mounting.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section, taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an opened zipper fly embodying myimproved construction showing a bar tack securing the lower end of thezipper.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the trousers having a body portion are constructedwith a top inside drill belt lining 12 which is stitched along the topand bottom with a row of stitches 14 and 16 (FIGURES 1 and 2). Forpurposes of illustration only, the fabrics 31 and 30 and the spacingthereof has been exaggerated. These would normally be in contact witheach other. The main trouser 18 extends up in between the top insidedrill lining 12 and the outside waistband 20 shown in FIGURE 2.

To provide body for the waistband an inner drill lining 22 may beprovided. In order to present a neat appearance the top inside drilllining 12 is folded over the inner drill lining 22 forming a downwardfold 24 of top drill lining. The outside waistband 20 is similarlyfolded downwardly thus forming the downward fold 26.

Patented Oct. 18, 1966 "ice The folds 24 and 26 and top inner canvaslining 12 and the outside waistband 20 and the main trouser fabric 18therebetween are stitched together by the two rows of stitches 14 and 16(FIGURE 1) which extend along the edge of the top waistband 20.

In my improved method and fly construction for zippered trousers theoverlapping right and left fly extend from the crotch as shown inFIGURES l and 4 to the top of the trousers as shown in FIGURE 1. The flyconsists of an inside lining 28 and an outside fly 30. The edges 32 and34 of the fly lining 28 and outside fly 30 are folded on themselves andstitched by stitching 36 to secure the same together.

The inside edges 31 and 33 of the fly lining 28 and outside fly 30 arestitched through the trouser material 18 by stitching 38. One tape 40 issecured to the right fly band 30 by two rows of stitching 42 and 44. Thelower end of the two zipper coacting hook tapes 40 and 46 are secured bya bar track 48 at the crotch of the trousers. The upper ends 47 and 49'of the zipper coacting hook tapes 49 and 46 extend through suitablebutton hole openings 51 and 53 formed in the upper end of the fly 30 and50 as shown in FIGURES l and 4. If desired, the button hole openings maybe bound or stitched as shown in FIGURE 1, to prevent unraveling of thefabric at the button hole opening. The two rows of tacking 61 shown inFIGURE 1 at the upper end of fly band 30 secures the upper end of thetape 40 to the fly 30 at a point beyond but in close proximity to thebutton hole opening 51. A similar set of tacks 62 attach the upper end49 of the zipper tape 46 to the upper end of the left fly band 50 in asimilar manner at a point just beyond the button hole opening 53 and inclose proximity thereto.

The tacking 61 and 62 may be formed in any conventional or suitablemanner. For example, a button stitching machine can be used forinserting these double tacks by not using a button as shown in FIGURE 1to thereby secure the upper ends 47 and 49 of the zipper tapes 40 and 46to the fly bands 30 and 50. A button 48 is secured to the upper end ofthe right fly 30 while a button hole 32 is formed above the left zippertape 46 at the upper end of the left fly band 50 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The closing and opening slide 52 is of conventional construction and hasthe usual finger gripping tab 54 which is used to move the slide 52 upand down on the zipper hook tape 40 and 46 to open and close thecoacting zipper hook tape in a manner well known. The zipper tape 40 isstitched to the fly band 30 from the bottom of the crotch of the fly upto a point just short of the opening 51 through which the end of the flytape 40 extends. I have shown how a double row of stitching 42 and 44 isused to secure the zipper tape 40 to the fly band 30 in the manner justdescribed. It is obvious that a single row of stitching could be alsoused for this purpose. The left zipper tape 46 is secured by a doublerow of stitches 54 and 60 to the left fly band 50 in a similar manner.

When a trouser is constructed with a zipper fly in the manner describedabove the replacement of a broken zipper can be readily effected. Toaccomplish this one merely has to insert a small sharp scissor or knifethrough the openings 51 and 53 to sever or release the tacking 47 and 62which secures the upper ends of the fly tapes 47 and 49 to the upperends of the fly bands 30 and 50. As soon as the upper ends 47 and 49 ofthe zipper tapes 40 and 46 have been detached in this manner they can bepulled out through the button hole openings 51 and 53 to expose thesame. If the slider 52 is broken then all that has to be done is toremove the old slider 52 and to thread on a new slide by means of aslide threading pliers in a manner well known in the zipper art.

Heretofore when zippers were stitched to trousers the waistband andlining extended around the entire top of the trousers and the fly bandsended at the waist band. The stitching which was used to secure thewaist band to the body of the trousers extended through the zipper aswell as the waist lining and belt ribbon folds. As a consequence if thewaist band stitching was opened to remove the old zipper it in effectconstituted dismantling one of the main portions of the trousers therebyimpairing the appearance of the same and also weakening the constructionsince it was not possible to restitch the waist band lining in exactlythe same position it was previously without requiring a great deal oftime and patience on the part of the operator.

In my improved garment construction, if one of the zipper tapes isbroken or the teeth thereof missing, the same procedure would befollowed as described above in connection with the replacement of theslide, but in this case the broken tape would be removed by cutting thestitching which secured the tape to the fly band. When both of the tapeshad been removed from the fly bands in this manner a new tape or tapesare stitched to the fly by means of either a single or a double row ofstitching 42 and 44, and 54 and 60. The lower bar tack 48 would ofcourse be removed at the same time that the stitching which secured thezipper tapes to the fly bands was cut to detach the zipper tapes fromthe fly bands.

When the new zipper tape is secured to the fly, the lower end of thetape is secured by a tacking which replaces the original tacking 48A.The upper ends of the replaced tapes are then inserted through thebutton hole openings 51 and 53. The respective tapes 40 and 46 are thenstitched to their respective fly bands 30 and 50 from the lower end ofthe fly bands along their length up to the button holes 51 and 53 eitherby a single or a dobule row of stitching depending upon the type ofsewing machine employed. The upper end of the replaced tape is tacked byeither a single or a double bar tack similar to the tacking 61 and 62 toreplace the same.

While I have described how my improved zipper construction and themethod may be used advantageously with work trousers, it will beapparent that this form of construction can also be advantageously usedwith any form of garment having a zipper opening. It is not necessarilylimited to work trousers although in the case of work trousers it isespecially valuable because zippers quite frequently become broken andhave to be replaced.

Any garment having a zippered opening may use this invention. All thatis desirable is that the sides to be closed and to which the zippertapes are fastened be of two-ply construction so that the hole in one ofthe plys at the top of the zipper tape through which the end of thezipper tape is inserted, will permitthe end of the zipper to beconcealed between both fabrics. Of course, a single ply could also beused with this invention. In this case the hole would be formed in thesingle ply and the end of the zipper tape would be concealed inside ofthe garment or other item with which the zipper is used.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in construction withinthe scope of the claims, for the particular device selected toillustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of thesame. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precisedetails of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a trouser fly opening construction, a body portion having a pairof overlapping flies extending to the top 4 edge of said body and aslide fastener for uniting said flies, said slide fastener comprising apair of coacting hook tapes and a slider, each of said overlapping fliescomprised of at least two plies of fabric, a bound opening in the upperportion of the outer ply of the inner fly and the inner ply of the outerfly, said openings having a length at least equal to the width of saidtape, one of said coacte ing tapes being mounted on the face of each flywhich has said opening therein, each of said tapes having its upper endextending through said opening to a concealed placement between theplies. of the fly, at least one line of stitching securing the exposedportion of each tape to its respective fly and tack stitching. meanssecuring the upper end of said tape in place between said plies, wherebyby the removal of said. stitching and said tacking means only, the slidefastener will be completely detached from the trousers for replacementof a defective slide fastener or the upper ends of the coacting hooktapes can be removed from the bound openings in the upper portion of theoverlapping flies to permit replacement of a defective slider.

2. In a trouser fly opening construction, a body portion having a pairof overlapping flies extending to the top edge of said body-and a slidefastener for uniting said flies, said slide fasteners comprising a pairof coacting hook tapes and a slider, an opening in the upper portion ofthe inner fly and of the outer fly, said openings having a length atleast equal to the width of said tape, one of said coacting tapes beingmounted on the face of each fly which has said opening therein, each ofsaid tapes having its upper end extending through said opening to aconcealed placement in the fly, at least one line of stitching securingthe exposed portion of each tape to its respective fly and tackstitching means securing the upper end of said tape between said plies,whereby by the removal of said stitching and said tacking means only,the slide fastener will be detached from the trousers for repair of adefective slide fastener.

' 3. In a garment fly opening type of construction, an elongated bodyportion having a pair of oppositely positioned strips extendinglengthwise of the elongated body portion and a slide fastener foruniting said strips, said slide fastener comprising a pair of coactinghook tapes and a slider, an opening in the upper portion of each strip,

said openings having a length at least equal to the width of said tape,one of said coacting tapes being mounted on the face of each strip whichhas said opening therein, each of said tapes having its upper endextending through said openings to a concealed'placement in the strip,at least one line of stitching securing the exposed portion of each tapeto its respective strip and tack stitching means securing the upper endof said tape in place inside of said opening, whereby by the removal ofsaid stitching and said tacking means only, the slide fastener will bedetached from the garment for repair of a defective slide fastener.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,092 7/ 1939Galloway 2-234 2,535,487 12/ 1950, Pietro 2234 2,650,366 9/1953 Knotter2-234 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner,

1. IN A TROUSER FLY OPENING CONSTRUCTION, A BODY PORTION HAVING A PAIROF OVERLAPPING FLIES EXTENDING TO THE TOP EDGE OF SAID BODY AND A SLIDEFASTENER FOR UNITING SAID FLIES, SAID SLIDE FASTENER COMPRISING A PAIROF COACTING HOOK TAPES AND A SLIDER, EACH OF SAID OVERLAPPING FLIESCOMPRISED OF AT LEAST TWO PLIES OF FABRIC, A BOUND OPENING IN THE UPPERPORTION OF THE OUTER PLY OF THE INNER FLY AND THE INNER PLY OF THE OUTERFLY, SAID OPENING HAVING A LENGTH AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAIDTAPE, ONE OF SAID COACTING TAPES BEING MOUNTED ON THE FACE OF EACH FLYWHICH HAS SAID OPENING THEREIN, EACH OF SAID TAPES HAVING ITS UPPER ENDEXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING TO A CONCEALED PLACEMENT BETWEEN THEPLIES OF THE FLY, AT LEAST ONE LINE OF STITCHING SECURING THE EXPOSEDPORTION OF EACH TAPE TO ITS RESPECTIVE FLY AND TRACK STITCHING MEANSSECURING THE UPPER END OF SAID TAPE IN PLACE BETWEEN SAID PLIES, WHEREBYBY THE REMOVAL OF SAID STITCHING AND SAID TACKING MEANS ONLY, THE SLIDEFASTENER WILL BE COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE TROUSERS FOR REPLACEMENTOF A DETECTIVE SLIDE FASTENER OR THE UPPER ENDS OF THE COACTING HOOKTAPES CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE BOUND OPENINGS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THEOVERLAPPING FLIES TO PERMIT REPLECEMENT OF A DETECTIVE SLIDER.